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July 3, 2008

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)

Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron

July 2, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots

The Kosher Gourmet By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!

JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life

July 1, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?

Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism

June 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world

Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?

JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child

June 26, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil

Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy

June 25, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies

JWisdom: Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 25, 2008

Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?

JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III

June 24, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence

June 23, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma

Jeff Jacoby: A world without children

JWisdom: Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction

June 20, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week

JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 19, 2008

Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in

Chris Christoff: Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub

June 18, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups

JWisdom: Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 17, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein

Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron

June 16, 2008

Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?

Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire

June 13, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: Trading manna for whine

Caroline B. Glick: Peace with friends

JWisdom: From the mouths of … by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 12, 2008

Michael Feldberg: Meet Paul Revere's pal, the Orthodox Jew who played a key role in laying Boston's cultural and business infrastructure

The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: No need to be tempted by Wendy's mandarin chicken salad

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron

June 11, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: What would Hillel say?

Jonathan Tobin: UNRWA and NGOs: The Real U.N. 'Insult'

JWisdom: Sara Yoheved Rigler: Greatness Made Simple: How a momentary decision shifted life's course and destination

June 6, 2008

Rabbi Pinchas Stolper: Revelation: The basis of faith

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: Mere hours after becoming Israel's new 'best friend' Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem

Caroline B. Glick: UN choosing to protect rogue nuclear programs

JWisdom: Sameness in difference by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 5, 2008

David Lightman: Now Obama wants to be Israel's newest 'best friend'

Obama's remarks to AIPAC policy conference

The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Lokshen Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread

JWisdom: Why a Jewish Jerusalem makes so many nervous by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 4, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A different sort of 'religious broadcaster'

Jonathan Tobin: Misgivings on the Road to Damascus

JWisdom: 44 Years Without An Argument? by Sara Yoheved Rigler

June 3, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama vs. McCain on the Middle East

Everything's Relative: There is a crisis growing in Orthodox synagogues worldwide, reveals Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel

JWisdom: White Facades; Black Secrets by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 2, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: Lie to outsmart discriminator?

He writes the songs that make our souls sing:Gavriel Aryeh Sanders interviews Jewish music legend Ben Zion Shenker; includes stirring, uplifting song

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Of laws and lives

March 22, 2007

J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)

Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review Oct. 5, 2006 / 13 Tishrei 5767

Not coming soon to a screen near you

By Lloyd Garver


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Recently, the Lorraine Theatre in Hoopeston, Ill., closed its doors for two weeks because the owner felt the only current movie he was being offered to show on his screen was "lousy." Owner, Greg Boardman is not just interested in art films. The Lorraine often shows big-budget, popular movies. But he just couldn't bring himself to showing "Jackass II."


The 84-year-old theater was once a vaudeville palace. Boardman repaired it and installed a state-of-the-art sound system. When he closed down temporarily because he decided not to show "Jackass II," he did it because he just didn't feel that the beautiful theater and the wonderful sound system should be used to show "someone vomiting on screen." Tough to argue with the guy.


Boardman said that the studios have every right to make and release whatever films they want, but he has the right to not show them if he thinks they are "crummy." He was perfectly content with having his screen blank. He took the financial hit and even paid his manager for the two weeks. Then he reopened the theater with "Invincible" and "Open Season."


His stance on this got me thinking about television. What would happen if television executives, affiliates, or station owners followed in Boardman's footsteps? I know it's not very likely, but if you can't fantasize about the improbable or even the impossible, why bother fantasizing?


For the most part, I'm willing to admit that declaring which TV shows are good and which are "crummy" is pretty subjective. But I'm talking about the shows that just about everybody thinks are no good. I mean, for example, the last show on each network to make the schedule — shows about which executives said something like, "Well, we've got to put something on at that time, so let's go with this one."


Here's my rule of thumb for this fantasy of mine: if those who are responsible for the show can't talk about it proudly to their parents and their children, don't show it.


I know that those who run television will say they can't just have a blank screen for that time period. OK, instead of a blank screen, put up a sign that says, "This might be a good time to read a book, talk to your family, or take a walk." If that's too radical, put some old classic TV show on in that spot.


Or maybe, as with Boardman and Hoopeston, Ill., it should happen at the local level. If station owners don't want to run a show, they don't have to run it. I know this happens every once in a while with some "controversial" programs, but maybe it should happen more often with ones that just stink.


In this fantasy of mine, television news doesn't get off the hook. To use Boardman's words again, there are a lot of "crummy" and "lousy" things they throw at us and call "news." That's because there is the ridiculous assumption that every day there is exactly enough important news to fill the scheduled newscasts. Not a minute more, not a minute less. That's just silly. Obviously, on some days there is more important news than on other days.


On those "slow news" days, Boardman's Rules should apply. Just because you want to fill that time, don't give us stories about the latest diets, which celebrities might be pregnant, or what breed of cat is the smartest and call that stuff news. Start the broadcast, and when you run out of real news, stop.


If that blank screen is a problem again, this would be a great opportunity to show some important news event from history whose coverage was prize-winning — instead of a story on how to organize your garage.


But as I said, much of this is a fantasy. There will always be movies that some people find "crummy" or "lousy," and there will always be TV shows that some people will put into those categories. But what is not fantasy is that those with the ultimate TV programming power can do something about it. And that's us — the people who can turn the set off if we don't like what they're showing. And you know something? When I do that, like Mr. Boardman, I'm perfectly content having that screen blank.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. Comment by clicking here. Visit his website by clicking here.

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